Commentary

Have you ever had a question about an environmental situation in
your town, but didn't know where to turn for help?

The prospect of calling a big state or federal environmental
agency can be daunting. Before you venture into the bureaucratic
maze, consider tapping a local resource that may exist right in
your own town the municipal environmental commission.

Federal environmental laws such as the Clean Air Act have been
very effective, but many activities that have a big impact on the
environment are under the control of local government.

Steep slopes, underground water supplies and stream buffers are
just a few resources that lack federal or state protection.

Land use that is, zoning and development planning is a municipal
function in New Jersey. Individual behaviors such as recycling, or
the use of oil, de-icers, fertilizers and pesticides that cause
pollution of air and water, can also b e addressed through
ordinances and public education at the local level.

Commissions Created

This is where environmental commissions play a role. In 1969,
New Jersey legislators recognized the need for a local government
connection to the environment.

They passed legislation that allows towns to establish advisory
bodies called environmental commissions. The law sets out the
structure and duties of an environm ental commission, and provides
a model ordinance that a municipality can adopt t o create one.
Today, more than 2,000 residents serve on environmental commission
s in 309 municipalities and counties.

Environmental commissioners are appointed by the mayor, and one
member of the commission must also have a seat on the planning
board.

State lawmakers wisely included this provision to help ensure
that environmental impacts would be taken in to account when
planning boards create master plans and review development
applications.

An environmental commission is required to create a natural
resource inventory (NRI) for the municipality.

An NRI is a collection of information about a town's natural
features its surface and underground waters, soils, geography,
wetlands , steep slopes, plants and animals as well as information
on industrial sites, landfills and other facilities that could have
an impact on health or natural re sources.

A town should rely on its NRI in deciding how much, where and
what kind of land uses (development) will be appropriate there. For
example, areas with steep slopes or underground limestone
formations should not be zoned for intense development.

The environmental commission is also responsible for keeping an
inventory of open areas.

In some towns, commissions assume the lead role in preserving
open space; in others, they support the work of a separate open
space committee.

Many of the 160+ New Jersey towns that have approved local open
space taxes did so after the environmental commission actively
educated residents on the economic and environmental benefits of
preserving open space. New Jersey's environmental commissions work
creatively in their communities to protect natural resources and
health.

They are always looking for public input. If your town has a
commission, don 't be a stranger. If it doesn't, maybe it
should.

(Editor's Note: Sandy Batty is executive director of the
Association of NJ Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) a nonprofit
organization that works with citizens a nd local officials to
promote long-term natural resource protection and sustainable
development. For further information, contact ANJEC at
973-539-7547, www.anj ec.org.)

Watch this discussion.Stop watching this discussion.

(0) comments

Welcome to the discussion.

Be Yourself. We do not accept and will not approve
anonymous comments. If your username is not your name, please sign
your posts as you would a letter to the editor with your full name
and hometown.Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language.PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated.Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything.Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person.Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts.Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.

Online Poll

In recent weeks, Long Hill Township and Watchung Borough passed ordinances allowing their police departments to be able to apply for surplus equipment from the Department of Defense. Long Hill recently procured a Humvee to use in times of flooding, which Watchung states as the reason they are getting into the program. However, in cities around the country, police forces have used the program to obtain military gear, such as weapons and armor.
For more background, go to the link below
http://www.newjerseyhills.com/echoes-sentinel/news/watchung-police-department-hopes-to-receive-equipment-from-department-of/article_12ad002a-92b3-5449-a2cc-4b2cf0ce4339.html